The Star reported Sunday that Cursio recommended that AECOM hire West Point Photography, a company owned and run by Thoen, his longtime female companion. Cursio is married, but lived a double life, socializing with Thoen at her East York home and discussing renovation plans that turned a $230,000 house into a well-appointed $705,000 home she sold two years ago.

Cursio's adult daughter also worked for Thoen at West Point. Recently, Thoen bought a new house, just over a kilometre from Cursio's home in Etobicoke.

Since May of last year, Cursio approved payments of at least $50,000 in public money from AECOM to West Point. Thoen, an amateur photographer, took photographs of people at public meetings, rankling ratepayers who felt their privacy was invaded at one recent session. Thoen also took photographs of streetscapes where new streetcar lines are planned. There was no contract between AECOM and West Point, just payments.

The TTC said Cursio never should have recommended Thoen for the job. Cursio is a former senior civil servant who was a vice-president at the Ontario Realty Corp. until he abruptly left in 2007. The TTC hired him in 2008. His online resume states that, while at the province-owned ORC, he "directed the sourcing and procurement of external consulting expertise provided by third party contractors and design consultants." He met Thoen during his time at the ORC.

The Cursio-Thoen issue caused a stir at the TTC as officials realized two problems. They have a strong conflict of interest policy but "it is only as good as the individual who is asked to adhere to it," spokesman Ross said.

The other problem is that while they have strict policies over the choosing of a design consultant like AECOM (a tendered job), they don't have a strong policy over TTC staff recommending sub-consultants to companies like AECOM. "We are looking at this and we may need to strengthen our policies," Ross said.

Auditors at the TTC are now reviewing all billings that came across Cursio's desk in the almost two years he worked for the transit commission.